What is DU?
• DU is a by-product left over when natural uranium ore is enriched for use in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It is a toxic, dense, hard metal. • During the enrichment process, most of the more radioactive isotopes contained in uranium are removed – leaving the ‘left over’ DU about 40% less radioactive than uranium. • DU does not add significantly to the normal background radiation that people encounter ever day. It is weakly radioactive. For example, DU is 3 million times less radioactive than radium still found in many old luminous watches and 10 million times less radioactive than what is used in fire detectors. • The extreme density of DU, together with other physical properties, make it ideal for military use in munitions to penetrate thick tank armor and in defensive armor protection. It is not a nuclear weapon.
